Kent Ready To Get Aggressive

RYAN Kent says the Rangers players have been instructed to go all out against NK Osijek as the Gers look to progress in the Europa League.

Steven Gerrard’s side have a 1-0 lead going into the home leg of their second round qualifying and the manager has handed his players the reins when it comes to playing their own game – according to Kent.

The winger, who is on loan from Liverpool, made his debut in the away leg last Thursday and is in line to get his first start at Ibrox this week.

Speaking to the media Kent said: “I am really excited for it; I got a nice feel for it on Sunday in the friendly against Wigan. It is something I am looking forward to.

“When you are playing in front of 50,000 fans you have to perform, there is a lot of demand in terms of expectation.

“In terms of benefitting me for the future this loan and playing at Ibrox is going to help me hugely.

“With making my Bundesliga debut last season in front of 70,000 fans at the Allianz Arena was a big achievement and a big experience as well. I took that experience and can bring it onto this stage of playing at Ibrox every week.

“What is expected of us when we play at home is that we are expected to be aggressive and on the front foot. We have been told that is the game plan going into all our home games and to take the game to our opponents.

“We have just been told to go and express ourselves, be aggressive and take the game to them.

“I think when we played them in the first leg we played in a way that would get the result that we could take back to Ibrox. I think this game will be a totally different experience to what we had in the first leg.”

Kent’s move to Rangers is his fifth loan spell away from his home club; the 21-year-old has been at Coventry City, Barnsley, German side Freiburgh and Bristol City.

Now the attacker wants to move his game to a new level under Gerrard’s leadership.

He continued: “In terms of personal gain I would like to get as much game time as I can, it’s also important this season to add numbers to my game in terms of output, goals and assists.

“I want to get back to enjoying my football; I think Rangers has all the foundations to improve me as a player.

“For each loan spell that I have been on so far I have always taken the next step forward. I started off in League One, then the Championship and then went to the Bundesliga. I think this is a totally different experience playing in front of 50,000 and playing in the Europa League.

“I think everybody knows what a good club Rangers is and the expectations that come with that. I think the players are going to go out there every week, especially me, and give one hundred and ten percent every game.

“There is a lot of strength and depth in the squad and I think every player is capable of going and performing every week.

“I don’t think anybody has their position sealed in the team; you have to keep on training well every week and performing at weekends.

“I am just concentrating on my own game, making sure my performance is good and then getting wins is the main thing at the end of that.”